How Tosca Musk Crafted the Steamy Streamer

Tosca Musk loves love. A lot in order that, in 2016, she co-founded Passionflix, a distinct segment streaming service devoted fully to romance.

Since its inception, Passionflix has produced 28 authentic films, 4 sequence and 11 quick movies, all tailored from romantic fiction by feminine authors. Subscriptions (aptly priced at $69 yearly) can be found in over 150 nations, giving audiences entry to Passionflix’s rising assortment of content material, ranging in tone from vanilla pet like to toe-curling smut.

“Tales for ladies needs to be instructed by ladies. That’s what we do,” Musk, who serves as a director and producer on Passionflix initiatives, says. “I wish to guarantee that that the tales are instructed for the feminine gaze. There’s a delicate contact that I wish to see in our films, and I would like ladies to inform these tales.”

Musk provides that the streaming service predominantly attracts feminine subscribers, with a rising contingency of males becoming a member of their ranks as of late. Seven years since launch, the enterprise nonetheless continues to develop: “We’re doing nicely,” she says. “We’re growing yearly. We’re capable of make 5, six films a yr!”

If Musk’s surname sounds acquainted – sure, she’s tech mogul Elon Musk’s sister. However let’s be clear: the fiercely passionate artistic is an entrepreneur in her personal proper. “I’m the CEO and founding father of an organization that’s directed over 25 options,” she says. “On the finish of the day, I’m Elon’s sister and Kimbal’s sister and Maye’s daughter. Nevertheless it’s all good. We’re household.”

Musk, talking to Selection from Atlanta the place she’s at work directing Passionflix’s subsequent sequence, an adaptation of J.R. Ward’s bestselling “Black Dagger Brotherhood” books, breaks down how she crafted the steamy streamer from the bottom up, why she’s enthusiastic about placing ladies behind the digital camera and the place she hopes Passionflix goes subsequent.

Why did you wish to begin Passionflix? What was the opening within the streaming financial system that you just felt it could fill?

Our firm shaped in 2016 and we launched in 2017. There weren’t very many area of interest streaming platforms. There have been a handful, however not very many. I joined a distinct segment streaming platform assist group on the time! It was all these new streamers that have been beginning up and simply sharing concepts. I had a present referred to as “Tiki Bar TV” that I produced, and it was direct to shopper. It was so wonderful, the direct to shopper relationship, once you made one thing that was distinctive and really particular, and the way a lot that viewers engaged. With regards to the romance novel business, that’s a really tight, very partaking neighborhood. I’m a giant fan of romance novels. So taking romance novels and making a streaming platform the place we’d adapt them because the fan and the writer desires them tailored made lots of sense. We knew that we might faucet instantly into the romance neighborhood, as a result of we have been a part of it.

Adapting from such common novels is in fact an effective way to amass a built-in fanbase, however I do know these followers should even have sturdy opinions. How does catering to the followers have an effect on the way in which you select your initiatives?

We work very a lot so with the writer. I can’t please each fan on the market. I can do every part that I can presumably do to please me as a fan, after which have the writer assist that, or the writer say, ‘That is what they appear like. That is what I agree with. That is what I see in my thoughts.’ So I attempt to work with the writer and have them happy. And in the event that they’re happy, then hopefully that passes on to the fan.

Talking of followers, Passionflix has a premium “signature membership,” which permits subscribers to go to movie units and attend premieres. How did that concept come about?

Signature members are the second technology of founding members. Once we first began Passionflix, I went to the Romantic Instances e-book convention in Might 2017. We simply completed filming our first film, “Hollywood Filth,” and we created a trailer for it earlier than the earlier than it even been minimize. We offered it at RT to all the the attendees – like 3,000 folks. Together with it, I offered this chance to grow to be a founding member of Passionflix. And for that, it was $100 for a two-year subscription. You bought to go to set, meet the actors, meet the authors, get your e-book signed. We had over 4,000 folks enroll over a month. It was an effective way for us to have the ability to launch our platform already with a really sturdy base to start with, which is little uncommon. From there, we have been like, “What can we do to supply the following technology of founding members?” That was to create the signature membership.

It’s principally for the tremendous fan who actually desires to be a stronger a part of our neighborhood, have early entry to content material, actually desires to fulfill the actors and the writer and expertise what it’s wish to be on set. I adore it. It’s truly one in all my favourite components, as a result of when the signature members come to set, they know extra about these books than I do — and I’ve learn all of them a number of instances!

On “Black Dagger Brotherhood,” there are fan teams that debate the lore and this whole world that’s been created. They arrive to set, and I wasn’t certain if [the characters are] sporting their gun holsters within the scene or not. I’m going to get an instantaneous response, and so they’re going to say if they’re or not. They’re going to present me the reply. It’s good to know that the fan is so invested and I like listening to from them proper on set, as a result of we are able to change it proper there, after which they’ve an affect and an impression on on the way it’s being filmed.

There’s no scarcity of romance novels being revealed as we speak, particularly with the rise of BookTok. How do you narrow by that and decide the precise books to adapt?

That’s truly powerful! There are such a lot of. Very happily now at our stage at Passionflix, lots of authors will likely be fairly excited for us to adapt one in all their books. Early on, it was a bit of tougher – not too arduous – however they didn’t know who we have been. Now, seven years later, they’re like, “Oh, nice! And we have now nice references from different authors like Sylvain Reynard and J.R. Ward. We have already got about 30 books that we’ve optioned that we’re in line to shoot. We’re engaged on these whereas we’re making an attempt to usher in new ones and newer variations as nicely. And we are likely to attempt to shoot one thing totally different for every subsequent challenge.

We’ve got “Lick,” it’s a rock star romance. Then we have now “A Lover’s Vow,” that’s the tip of our three-part Brenda Jackson sequence, and that’s a bit of extra on the suspense facet, however nonetheless romance in fact. Then we have now “Black Dagger Brotherhood,” which is vampires and warriors. Earlier this yr, we had “The Air He Breathes,” that basically deeply emotional, crying film. We wish to be every part to each romance lover. On the identical time, it’s introducing romance followers to totally different authors. We love to have the ability to present selection throughout the romance style. The romance style isn’t only one factor. It’s each style, simply the important thing aspect must be romance.

You’re additionally enthusiastic about adapting from feminine authors and hiring ladies behind the digital camera. How has that been a guiding gentle for you in these previous seven years?

It’s actually vital that girls inform romance tales written by ladies. To not say that males couldn’t do it. Some might. However there’s something a couple of lady telling the story of what a of what a lady goes by in a romantic relationship. And there are such a lot of ladies on the market that haven’t had the chance to direct or inform tales, as a result of these alternatives merely aren’t being supplied to them. In order that’s vital to me.

Is your subscriber base additionally predominantly ladies?

We’re predominantly ladies. I’m truly fairly impressed with the variety of males which can be subscribing, and the variety of males which can be turning into tremendous followers. Initially it began with boyfriends and husbands of our viewers. They’d purchase the subscription as a present, after which they turned obsessed. The explanation why we’re nonetheless rising is as a result of folks love love. They like to see constructive tales, and so they wish to expertise this curler coaster of feelings realizing that they’re in a secure area and so they’re going to have their completely happy ending on the finish of the day. That’s non-existent in the remainder of content material that’s being made proper now. We solely inform tales with completely happy endings.

A latest examine discovered that younger folks need much less intercourse in films and TV reveals, however Passionflix has actually doubled down on its steamy content material. Have you ever encountered that perspective in adapting romance?

That’s information to me. They’re definitely approaching to Passionflix. On the finish of the day, Passionflix and romance novels aren’t essentially about simply intercourse. It’s in regards to the connection, communication and compromise in a relationship. There are different platforms on the market that can present simply intercourse. I believe you’ll discover lots of it on HBO, with no dedication or relationship concerned. Possibly we’re going again to these days earlier than “50 Shades of Gray,” the place individuals are making an attempt to cover what they really need. Passionflix is there to take away disgrace from sexuality. We needs to be be having fun with this, and we needs to be asking for our pleasure, and we needs to be accepting pleasure, and we needs to be ensuring that we’re taken care of and that we’re caring for our companions. We’re there to encourage emotional energy. We’re there to encourage connection, communication and compromise in relationships and we’re there to validate feelings. So I believe that whoever did that examine is improper.

What do you envision for the following seven years of Passionflix?

I see us turning into a family title. I would like folks to speak about Passionflix and be tremendous excited in regards to the subsequent film that that’s popping out. I would like us to be at each water cooler speak. I see us because the dialog piece with each lady. Passionflix and chill!

This interview has been edited for size and readability.